C’mon C’mon

 

C’mon C’mon (Amazon Prime)

Joaquin Phoenix is the consummate actor, playing roles from Johnny Cash to the Joker. In this movie he   portrays Johnny the title character as melancholy and moody. This sets the tone for the movie. It is shot entirely in black and white normally an effect of film noir. In some scenes characters are in deep shadow only showing part of their face.

Johnny is a radio journalist working on a project interviewing kids around the country asking them what they think about the future and their lives. He has not seen his sister Viv in a year since their mother’s death from complications from Alzheimer’s. Viv has to go away to take care of her estranged husband who is having a mental breakdown and she asks Johnny to look after his nephew Jessie played by Woody Norman. He is a precocious nine year old who gives an emotional performance of a child maneuvering the uncertainties of a family in crisis. The relationship with Johnny is rocky and over time a bond develops but not without challenges. Johnny finds out dealing with a kid is hard. Protecting him and reprimanding him is a balancing act. Much of the movie is interaction between Johnny and Jesse interspersed with scenes with Viv explaining how to deal with Jesse.

Johnny clearly loves Jesse and puts up a lot with his antics. This is not a straightforward feel good movie, it has many emotional speed bumps. If you have the holiday blues this is not your movie.

 

Don’t Look Up

 

Don’t Look Up (Netflix)

Don’t bother. This is an example of a film with a roster of A list stars and an awful script sprinkled with over acting. The star lineup includes Leonardo Di Caprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep, Cate Blanchett, Mark Rylance, Jonah Hill and others. The film’s premise is a life ending killer comet hurtling towards earth. This is a rehashing of a number of other doomsday sci fi films.

The film starts out as farce, meanders into political satire and back to farce. Some scenes depicted far right comet deniers  with their red baseball caps. This was a veiled reference to Trumpers.

The acting was from bad to silly. Di Caprio is the lead scientist who hyperventilates and pops Xanax. Streep is the Lady President who is more worried about the midterm elections than the comet. Laurance is chicken little and no one heeds her warning. Blanchett is flippant talk show host who ignores the scientific warning.

What a waste of talent.

Being the Ricardos

 

Being the Ricardos (Amazon Prime)

The film is a drama bio, pseudo-documentary. The drama part incorporates story points to deflect some unpleasant realities. When the story starts there are three older individuals who worked with Lucy on the show. They intermittently  narrate the story presenting facts or fiction.

Lucille Ball was a phenomenal comedian. She was a master (mistress) of physical comedy. At the height of “ I Love Lucy” the  show had sixty million viewers. She was a perfectionist and to the chagrin of her comedy writers micromanaged scenes.  She was  an adroit businesswoman and a brutal negotiator. She was the first  pregnant woman on a TV program which was taboo at the time. The ending is a whitewash  to rehabilitate Ball’s reputation.

Arron Sorkin is the writer director. The film is disjointed. This is unusual  for Arron Sorkin who is an award winning writer. The film centers on a critical week. The days of the week serve as chapters.  Then the story pivots to other parts and the transitions are not quite clear. Lucy is portrayed as supporting her husband, Desi Arnaz, and desiring a home life. Desi’s philandering is an undercurrent in the movie but its toxicity is peripheral to the story.

Nicole Kidman plays Lucy hard. Lucy is a difficult  actress and a tough businesswoman. She does not shy away from consequences. Some nuanced reflection of her actions would have benefited the character. Javier Bardem is Desi Arnaz. He is a natural for the role with his Latin background. He plays Desi more as a businessman than an actor and the film suggests he was overshadowed by his wife. Wonderful performances were delivered by J.K. Simmons, Nina Arianda and Tony Hale.

Unless you a fan of “I Love Lucy” ,which was excellent, or a big Lucy fan, I would not spend twenty dollars to see this film. It was for free on Amazon Prime. I do not know why the movie is for free but I suspect it is a way to advertise the movie and get feedback.

Licorice Pizza

 

Licorice Pizza

Quirky is the best adjective to define this movie. It is about two would be lovers who circle each other but have a hard time landing. Alana Haim plays Alana Kane a twenty five year old photographer’s assistant who meets a precocious fifteen year old Gary Valentine played by Cooper Hoffman (son of Seymour Philp Hoffman). Gary is obsessed with Alana but their courtship has many road bumps. The story takes place the San Fernando Valley in the 1970’s. The sets are festooned with 70’s long forgotten furniture and lots of polyester.

This is Alana Haim’s first acting role. She is part of the Haim Sister pop rock group. Her role as Alana Kane perfectly suits her. Her acting is self-assured and natural. She has comic chops and great timing. She and Cooper Hoffman have good chemistry. It is a bit strange for a twenty five year old to have a fifteen year old love interest (there are certain laws).The sexiest thing in the movie is a long denied kiss.

Gary is a hustler. He was a would-be child actor, a purveyor of water beds, and a pinball parlor impresario. Off and on Alana teams up with him in his ventures which do not always succeed. Their relationship is fractured and they have tertiary liaisons to their mutual annoyance.

Usually the principal actors are the focus of the film. What makes this movie succeed besides the interaction of Gary and Alana are the hilarious vignettes by the supporting cast. John Michael Higgins (Best in Show) opens a Japanese restaurant. His sketches with his Japanese wife/wives are uproarious and border on offensive. Sean Penn plays Jack Holden based on William Holden. The Jack Holden character could not be further removed from the actual Sean Penn. He plays Jack as an actor who has peaked and does stupid dangerous stunts for his fans. Bradley Cooper should return his paycheck because he is having too much fun. His acting is over the top and very funny. Also the entre Haim family is in the film, albeit with bit parts. The are other well-known actors you need to keep an eye out for.

I knew very little about Licorice Pizza, but I give it five Yelp stars.

p.s.- Licorice Pizza was a chain of record stores with 34 locations in LA. By the time it was sold in 1985 and eventually rebranded as the national chain Musicland (and later Sam Goody)

Belfast

 

Belfast (Amazon Prime, Apple)

Belfast, a heartfelt beautiful story. Belfast is loosely based on  the autobiographical story of Kenneth Branagh, the writer and director of the film. The film starts in color showing present day Belfast with impressive architecture and public sculptures. To depict 1969 Belfast the film switches to black and white. This is an effective devise giving the movie the feel of a documentary. The cinematography is direct and wonderful for its clarity. 1969 is the start of the “Troubles”, sectarian violence between Protestants and Catholics. Before the Troubles there was harmonious coexistence. The tranquil neighborhood was a place where a mother’s call for her son is passed along street by street by cousins and neighbors.

The close knit family consists of Buddy the nine year old played by Jude Hill, Ma played by Caitriona Balfe, Pa played by Jamie Doran, Granny played by Judi Dench and Pop played by Ciaran Hinds. Jude is outstanding. His performance reminds me of the child star in JoJo Rabbit. So poised and natural. He brings humor to the bleakness of the period. He has the normal adventures of a nine year old from misguided petty larceny to blossoming puppy love with a Catholic girl. Jamie Doran gives a natural easy performance. This is probably his best work without bondage. Ma of course is the rock of the family. Pa works in England to support the family and returns on weekends. Financial burdens and peril weigh on her. However, she can still  dance and sing with her husband. Granny and Pop are the extended family. Ciaran  Hinds gives a touching performance offering Buddy sage advice about girls and long division. Judi Dench has a modest but essential role.

This movie is uplifting. Family and a bit of humor are a potent mix.

 

Power of the Dog

 

Power of the Dog (Netflix)

A friend recommended this movie, I knew nothing about it. It is a Western set in the 1920’s in Montana about two successful brothers who own a large cattle ranch. The brothers are total opposites.

Phil, played by Benedict Cumberbatch, is the stereotypical macho cowboy lean, rough, mean and unwashed. The polar opposite is George his brother, played by Jesse Plemons. George rides horses wearing suit with bowtie, is kind and  bathes. These comparisons appear stark but underly the complexity of the film. The film is in layers which unfold revealing repressed passions and temptations.

Benedict Cumberbatch is magnificent. He embodies Phil. He is an intimidating bully who always seems angry. His anger escalates  when George marries a widow, Rose Gordon, played by Kirsten Dunst. Phil totally despises Rose to the point she seeks refuge in alcoholism. This has to be one of Dunst’s best performances. The dejection on her face and persecution by Phil is palpable. Phil’s cruelties  are shrouded in his insecurities. Rose has a son, Peter played by Kodi Smith-McPhee. His delicate nature complements his willowy physique. His ten gallon hat consumes him. Smith-McPhee’s acting is sublime. Peter is a new target for Phil’s disdain and intimidation. But Peter does not cower and collapse like this mother. This willow has thorns.

The story is rich and complex. As the layers unfold the true nature of the characters emerge. Strong becomes weak and weak becomes strong.

The title of ‘The Power of the Dog’ is a reference to a verse in Psalm 22 of the Book of Psalms, which is a part of the Christian Old Testament as well as the third section of the Hebrew Bible. Since I am not a theologian I will leave interpretations to others.

This amazing movie is for free on Netflix. It cost $30-$39m to produce for a box office of $160,000. Hollywood accounting is arcane, but this suggests the streaming platforms are more concerned with prestige rather than profit. A small box office do not rule out nominations.